DOA: Delirious on Arrival
by NatesDate
Summary: An old nemesis of Harry's returns and Ruth inadvertently ends up in the middle of his plans.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: ****Set after 4.8, in March 2006.**

**Back in 1985, I was in my early teens and hopelessly addicted to a spy drama called "Scarecrow and Mrs. King." Spooks it was not, but it included a handsome leading man and his amazing chemistry with a brunette with a knack for trouble in the field (sound familiar?) I was watching one of my favorite episodes a few months back and decided to try and apply the storyline to Spooks. This is that attempt. **

**The original SMK episode story was written by Nelson Costello and the teleplay written by Robert Bielak. SMK is owned by Warner Brothers and Shoot the Moon Productions. I have borrowed the episode title, the plot and a few snippets of dialogue, but all names have been changed.**

**Spooks is owned by Kudos and the BBC. Despite my fervent wishing, I did not receive them for Christmas, Valentine's Day, my birthday, or Mother's Day. I'm not going to hold out hope that I'll receive them for my anniversary, so I promise to try and put them back how I found them. The story is completely written and will be posted over the next few days. It hasn't been beta'd however, so all mistakes are mine alone.  
**

* * *

DOA: Delirious on Arrival

Harry parked his car and double checked his mirrors to ensure that he hadn't been followed. He hadn't used this dead drop in years, but the message he received late this afternoon seemed to suggest that the matter was urgent. He'd thought about sending Adam or Zaf to pick up the information, but as the park wasn't that far from his home, he decided to leave the Grid at a reasonable hour and make the pickup himself.

Thankfully the park was fairly deserted. The weather had been cool with rain on and off, which discouraged all but a few determined souls. He made a pass through the park and didn't see anything suspicious so he doubled back to check a statue near the park entrance for information. Not finding anything and thinking that perhaps his contact was running late, he took another stroll through the park. The wind had died down and the rain was holding off for now and the fresh air refreshing after the recent long days on the Grid. He didn't spot anyone following him and when he returned to the statue, there still was no information. Deciding to check again tomorrow, Harry returned to his car.

As soon as he turned the key in the ignition, the radio sprang to life and a voice that Harry had not heard in years came from the speakers. The message was simple but cryptic, "Harry, old friend. It's been far too long since we've crossed paths. I'm looking forward to doing business with you again." Harry made no attempt to disguise his displeasure at the message. He called Malcolm and asked that he and Colin join him early on the Grid tomorrow morning.

As Harry's car pulled away, a man stood from his crouched position behind some bushes. He turned and walked down the street with a smile on his face.

Harry arrived at Thames House earlier than usual the next morning. Malcolm and Colin weren't due for another 20 minutes so Harry used the time to walk to the Caffe Express van for his usual espresso and almond croissant. On his way back to the office, Harry bumped into a senior officer from Section A and they chatted about the recent Test Match. Once back on the Grid, Harry found Malcolm and Colin waiting so he left his uneaten croissant in his office. The trio of men headed to the garage while Harry explained what happened the night before and asked them to try and find out something in time for the morning briefing.

* * *

Ruth lazily turned over in her bed, thinking that she hadn't woken up this refreshed in ages. She glanced at the clock on the nightstand and refreshment turned to panic as she realized that she'd overslept and was normally on the Grid by now. She scrambled out of bed and grabbed a quick shower before dressing and racing out the door.

* * *

"Late yesterday afternoon, I received a message directing me to an old dead drop. I went, but found nothing until I got back into my car. When I turned the ignition, I heard this." Harry played the message for everyone and when it was finished, he added, "That's Gunther Zigter. He and I crossed paths in Berlin in the early 1980's. His specialty is the acquisition and sale of plans, preferably of military hardware and weapons. The last time I dealt with him the operation soured and we lost two agents. Adam?"

Harry turned the briefing over to Adam, who assigned tasks for everyone and set a time later in the day for an update. As they all filed out of the room, Harry fell into step with Ruth and walked with her to her desk. "Ruth, Zigter used to make regular visits to Salzburg and it probably wasn't for the Mozart chocolate. He also used the alias Wolf Roth, so you may have some luck under that name." When they reached her desk, Harry leaned back against it, so he was positioned next to her chair. Reaching over, he picked up an apple from the desk and played with it while Ruth settled into her seat.

"Harry, are you concerned that Zigter may try to do more than just make you look bad?" She watched him handle her apple and was glad for the usual level of office noise to cover her growling stomach.

"He may, but I'm not worried about that right now. I'm more concerned with what his target is and finding out what he intends to do with it." Harry stood and turned around to look over the Grid. As he did so, Ruth's phone rang. When she turned back to Harry after answering it, she realized he was gone, and so was her apple. She slouched against the back of her chair as she realized it was going to be a long morning.

Harry walked into his office, but before he sat down he decided he needed to make some inquiries of his own. He walked quickly to the pods and finally out the main entrance of Thames House. Unlike the day before, the weather today was beautiful with a sunny blue sky and not a cloud in sight. He enjoyed his walk to the embankment before sitting on his usual bench. He pulled his mobile from his pocket and made a few phone calls before connecting with the person he was seeking.

Harry dispensed with the pleasantries. "Sully, you are a difficult man to get ahold of."

"Yeah, well, talking to you isn't exactly one of my favorite activities. Somehow it doesn't usually work out to my benefit." Thomas Sullivan was a small time dealer of anything that could be bought or sold who was caught up in a large operation 15 years ago. Harry recognized his value as an asset and rather than send Sully off to jail, he made a deal with him to provide information as needed.

"This isn't a social call, so I'll keep it brief. Have you heard anything about Gunther Zigter or what he's after?"

"Harry, I'm clean these days. I don't even know anyone by that name." Sully's voice was higher than usual, a sign Harry didn't miss.

"Sully, you are about as clean as my dog after she's jumped in the neighborhood pond. If you prefer, I can call my contact at the Customs and Excise. He's familiar with your name and wouldn't turn down a chance to meet with you." Harry knew this was something that Sully feared and Harry wasn't afraid to play the card.

"See, this is what I meant when I said talking to you doesn't work out to my benefit." Sully paused for a moment before proceeding. "I've heard that there's a German in town looking to acquire plans. I'll ask around and let you know what I find out."

"You do that, Sully, and do it quickly or my finger might find the speed dial to Customs and Excise." Harry disconnected the call before Sully could reply. Harry rose from the bench and headed back towards Thames House.

Once back on the Grid, Harry stopped at Ruth's desk for an update before going to his office. She looked up from her computer screen then tilted her head as though pondering what to say. Harry knew from previous experience not to rush her, knowing that her brain worked much faster than her mouth.

"I'll make a deal with you," she said, a serious look on her face.

It was Harry's turn to tilt his head, though he did so in confusion. "Ruth, I don't think I need to remind you that this isn't the time for fun and games."

"I agree, Harry. I bought an apple at the canteen this morning as I'd overslept and didn't get to eat at home. I planned to have it after the morning briefing but after you visited my desk, it seemed to disappear." A small smile graced her face to show that she wasn't angry with him.

"Ruth, I'm sorry. I was so distracted with this Zigter thing that I didn't even realize I'd taken it. Just a minute." Harry walked quickly to his office before Ruth could get a word in. He came back a moment later and placed a croissant on her desk. "I bought it this morning but didn't get a chance to eat it. Please take it. I feel bad that I stole your breakfast."

"Harry, this isn't necessary," she started but Harry interrupted her.

"Ruth, I took your breakfast and the least I can do is give you mine. Besides, I've lost my appetite trying to figure out why Zigter is back."

Just then, Ruth's stomach rumbled and the noise of the Grid wasn't enough to cover the sound. "See, your stomach agrees with me." He smiled at Ruth as she took a bite of the croissant.

She smiled while she finished chewing the croissant. "Thanks, Harry. I appreciate it. As for an update, I've only found the basics on Zigter, likely nothing that you didn't already know. I'm putting it together and hope to have better information in a few hours." Ruth took another bite and turned back to her computer.

Harry returned to his office and after sitting down he mentally mapped out his next steps. A knock on the door caused him to look up to Adam and Zaf, who stopped by to give him an update. Just as they finished telling him that they haven't heard anything from their contacts, Harry's office phone rang. He asked Adam and Zaf to wait, but when he answered the phone and recognized the voice, he quickly put the phone on speaker.

"Gunther, I'm not going to lie and say it's nice to hear from you." Harry pointed at Zaf, who left Harry's office quickly in search of Malcolm to try and trace the call. Adam quietly moved into Harry's office to stand next to his desk.

"Harry, I'm going to make this brief. I want the plans for the new Future Lynx Helicopter. You have eight hours to deliver them to me," Zigter replied.

Harry looked up at Adam before replying. "And why exactly would I be so generous as to share those plans with you?"

"Well, it's up to you, of course, but I rather thought you'd like the antidote."

Harry and Adam exchange a confused look. "Obviously I missed something. The antidote to what?" Harry asked.

"The poison in your almond croissant. I hope you enjoyed it." At these words, Harry's head turned to look at Ruth through the window, with Adam following Harry's line of sight. As they watched, Ruth looked up and smiled, then took another bite of the croissant.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks for all the reviews. It was fun to see that there are still a few SMK fans out there. **

**For the purposes of this story, please pretend that Thames House has a small onsite medical lab. Italics indicate a dream sequence.**

* * *

The remainder of the croissant sat on a plate in the lab. A woman in a white coat checked a printout before walking out to an adjacent office where Harry and Adam are sat.

"We've identified everything in the croissant except for one chemical substance. We don't know what it is but our best guess is that it's an experimental drug of some sort. We don't think it's lethal, but we can't be certain." Dr Sally Chapman knew that this is not what the two men seated in front of her were hoping to hear, but in her time with Five, frankly she expected to find a lot worse.

Adam spoke up first. "What are effects of the poison?"

Sally referred to the printout she'd brought with her from the lab. "There were hallucinogens in the croissant as well, but we're not sure how those will affect her. They could cause anything from minor mood swings to paranoid delusions, radical personality changes, or may have no affect at all. And until we identify the mystery substance, we can't produce an antidote, which unfortunately could take days or weeks."

Adam turned to Harry. "We can't let Ruth leave Thames House, not knowing how she will react." Harry nodded in agreement. "Who's going to tell her the news?"

"It was my croissant. I'll tell her." Harry turned to Sally. "Where is she right now?"

"Miss Portman is bringing her back here. They should be here shortly. Let me know if you have any other questions." Sally stood and walked back into the lab.

"Adam, please head up to the Grid and let everyone know that there is a new urgency to our search for Zigter. I'll be up after I've had a chance to speak with Ruth."

"Will do. I'll see you shortly." Adam left and a minute later Ruth and Jo walked in the room.

As she sat down, Ruth said, "There's an experience I hope not to repeat anytime soon."

At Harry's look, Jo added, "She had to have her stomach pumped."

"Ahh, unpleasant indeed. Jo, Adam needs you back on the Grid. I'll stay with Ruth." Harry turned his attention back to Ruth, who was slumped in her chair looking quite uncomfortable.

"I'm on my way then. Ruth isn't supposed to be left alone for at least another hour, just to be certain there are no ill effects from the pumping." Jo placed her hand on Ruth's shoulder and gave her a small squeeze. "I hope you feel better soon, Ruth."

Ruth turned to Jo. "Thanks for staying with me. I appreciate it."

Jo smiled at Ruth before walking out the door and closing it behind her. Now that they had some privacy, Ruth turned back to Harry. "Tell me the truth, Harry. What did Dr Chapman say?"

"The good news is that they are fairly certain that the poison isn't lethal." He watched her face to see how she would react.

"Fairly certain? I don't know whether to be reassured by that or not." Ruth sat up in her chair and leaned forward with her elbows on the table.

"The substance seems to be hallucinogenic in nature, but they don't know how you'll react. You didn't eat the entire croissant, and we were able to pump your stomach, but since it was intended for me, the concentration of the drug was likely stronger. You could have anything from mood swings to paranoid delusions. We really have to just wait and see. But you will have to stay here, in Thames House, until we know more." Harry watched as she nodded and took in the information. He knew her analyst brain was working overtime to understand what was happening

"Well, I guess that's not as bad as I was expecting. Can I go back up to the Grid, at least for a while?" Ruth asked. "I still feel fine, and I'd like to help while I still can."

"Of course. We have one of the med rooms set aside for you once you start to feel the affects." Harry stood and offered his hand to Ruth, to help her up from the chair. She took the offered hand and once standing let it drop. She stayed close to Harry, however, as she was already feeling a bit wobbly on her feet. She didn't want to admit as much because she wanted to be back on the Grid and not shut away in some room alone.

As they walked towards the elevator, Harry's mobile rang. Checking the number, he told Ruth he needed to take the call. After a brief conversation, Harry disconnected the call and turned to Ruth.

"That was my contact calling. I'm going to meet him in an hour and hopefully get more information about Zigter." As they waited for the elevator, Harry turned to Ruth. "I promise that we'll nail this bastard and get the antidote."

Ruth smiled at Harry. "I know you will, Harry. I trust you." The elevator doors opened and the pair stepped inside.

* * *

Harry entered The Red Herring and quickly scanned the pub. Sully was seated at the bar and Harry moved to join him. Sully asked him if he wanted a whisky, but Harry declined. As much as he did want a drink, he realized it was more important to keep his head clear.

Sully turned in his seat and tipped his head toward the windows and the tables outside the pub. "Do you see that man, sitting alone?"

Harry casually turned in his seat and slowly moved his gaze to where Sully was looking. Harry could see a man sitting at an outside table, facing the street and his back to the windows. Harry looked back at Sully and nodded discretely.

"His name is Callahan and I hear he's in the market for aircraft plans." Sully turned back to the bar, indicating the conversation was over.

Harry changed his mind about the drink and signaled the bar keep for a glass of whisky. After it arrived, he picked it up and headed through the door leading to the outside tables. Harry could see that Callahan was working on a plate of fish and chips and stopped near his table. He casually mentioned the Future Lynx Helicopter and Callahan's fork paused on its journey to his mouth. Harry took this as an invitation to sit down.

"I understand you intend to purchase some aircraft plans in the near future," Harry stated, trying to keep his voice casual.

Callahan studied Harry for a few moments before responding. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Harry kept his posture casual, not wanting to scare the man. "I think you do. I represent a South American nation that is keen to acquire the same plans." He took a sip of whisky, glad for its presence.

Callahan continued to eat his chips. "Sure, and the minute I say I'm interested in the purchase, a bunch of spooks from Five jump out of the woodwork and detain me at Her Majesty's pleasure. Nice try."

Harry kept his face impassive but a part of him wondered if there was something about his appearance the screamed Five. He thought about asking Ruth for her opinion, which only served to remind him why he was here. "Considering it was I who approached you and mentioned the aircraft plans, I think any magistrate worth their bench would declare entrapment. Besides, I'm not trying to buy the plans out from under you. My client is happy to purchase a copy of the plans and I'm willing to deal with the supplier directly and pay you a handsome little finder's fee." Harry smiled at Callahan while enjoying another sip of whisky.

Before Callahan could respond, Ruth approached the table and pulled out the empty chair next to Callahan. "Sorry I'm late. Traffic in this city can be such a bitch."

Harry saw that Callahan was nervous at Ruth's sudden appearance, so he quickly responded. "I'm sorry, this is my associate, Ruth Evans."

Callahan's eyes moved back to Harry before speaking again. "The finder's fee would need to be substantial." As Callahan was speaking, Harry noticed that Ruth had started to eat chips from Callahan's plate.

"Of course, that shouldn't be a problem. Ruth, can I speak with you for a moment?" He stood and extended his hand to her, indicating that he wanted her to follow.

Ruth grabbed a few more chips before standing and moved towards Harry. As she did so, she leaned towards him and in a not so quiet whisper, asked "Is this Zigter, the man you're looking for?"

The reaction from Callahan was immediate. He quickly stood and roughly pushed his chair away from the table before turning and leaving the restaurant. Once he was out of view, Harry turned back to Ruth, who had grabbed a roll from a basket of bread at another table and started to eat. Harry grabbed it out of her hand and set it back on the table, apologizing to the patrons. He placed his hand around Ruth's waist and led her back into the pub. Harry sat Ruth at a booth in the back, away from most of the other patrons, and then sat down opposite her.

At the confused look on her face, Harry said, "I need to get you out of here. I think the drug is starting to take effect."

Ruth looked offended and bit back. "Harry, you know I would never take drugs." She sat back in the booth and crossed her arms.

"Ruth, do you remember the croissant, this morning?"

At the mention of food, Ruth sat back up. "I would love a croissant. Do they have those here?"

Harry's right hand rubbed across his eyes as he thought of what to do next. He stood up and once again held his hand out to Ruth. With a small smile she placed her hand in his and allowed him to help her up out of the booth and towards the door.

A man seated at a small table around the corner from where Harry and Ruth sat turned around and watched the pair exit the pub. Gunther Zigter smiled at the unexpected development.

Once outside, Harry called his driver, then Adam for an update. After being told they may have a lead on Zigter's whereabouts Harry told him about the meeting with Callahan.

"Adam, the drug is starting to take effect and Ruth's behavior is becoming unpredictable." Harry paced on the sidewalk, his free hand on his hip.

"I've spoken with Sally and she thinks that Ruth may be better off at a hospital. Since we don't know what the effects of the drug will be we should consider having her admitted." Adam knew that Ruth, well the Ruth that wasn't under the effect of an unknown drug, would hate to sit at hospital, but he also wanted to keep her safe and close to medical facilities, should she need them. "Harry, Sally has set everything up with Dr Munro at St. Thomas. I'll call and tell them to expect you shortly and then I'll meet you at Zigter's place."

Harry disconnected the call and turned back to Ruth, who managed to stay in one place. "Ruth, we need to go. My car will be here in a moment."

"Are we going to find Zigter?" she asked. "I love being out in the field!"

Harry is saved from a response by the arrival of his car at the kerb. After shuffling Ruth inside, Harry leaned forward and told his driver to go to St. Thomas Hospital.

"Why are we going to hospital? Is Zigter there?" Ruth sounded excited at the prospect of finding Zigter.

"No, Ruth, Zigter is not at hospital. I'm taking you there. Zigter is a dangerous man and you'll be safer if you stay at the hospital." Harry should have known this wouldn't be easy.

"Harry, what are you talking about? I'm not sick. I feel fine. I want to help you find this Zigter guy."

"I know you want to help, but please trust me, okay? This is where you need to be. It will help me if I know you are safe. Please, Ruth."

Ruth could see the seriousness in Harry's face, and nodded her agreement. "I do trust you, Harry. More than anyone."

* * *

Harry pushed the door to Ruth's hospital room open with his hand and allowed her to enter first. As she stepped around the curtain she gasped loudly and stopped in her tracks. Harry quickly moved behind her, wondering what caused her reaction. As he looked around the curtain, he saw a nurse and a doctor standing next to an empty bed, but noticed nothing unusual.

Harry placed his hand in the small of her back. "Ruth, what's wrong?"

Ruth turned quickly and faced Harry, her hands on his chest and her nose just inches from his. "Harry, don't these people look a little weird to you?" She quickly glanced over her shoulder once again before turning back to him.

"These people are here to help you, Ruth. They're not going to hurt you," he said but Harry could see the fear in her eyes.

Ruth grabbed the lapels of his jacket with a strength he didn't know she possessed. "Please, don't leave me here. Don't make me stay here, Harry. Please don't." She buried her head into his chest and continued the iron grip on his jacket.

Without even thinking Harry wrapped his arms around her, trying to make her feel safe. He started to walk her towards the bed and as he did so, the nurse pulled the blanket back on the bed. "Ruth, I promise, you are perfectly safe here. Jo will be here soon to keep you company."

Ruth glanced once more at the other people in the room and let out a small scream before going limp in Harry's arms. He was thankful for his grip on her as it kept her from falling to the floor. The nurse stepped around the bed and helped Harry lift Ruth onto the bed at which time Dr Munro started to examine her.

"What happened?" Harry tried to keep the panic out of his voice, but he was caught off guard by her fainting that he's not sure he succeeded.

After a moment Dr Munro responded, "Her breath sounds and heart rate appear normal. It's likely a side effect of the drug. We'll take some blood and keep an eye on her."

"Take good care of her. Jo Portman from my office will be here in the next hour or so to stay with her." With one last glance at Ruth, he turned and walked out of the room.

* * *

Harry stepped out of the taxi and crossed the street to where Adam, Zaf, and the command officers from CO19 were waiting.

"How's Ruth?" Adam asked before briefing Harry on what they've found.

"Don't ask. What have you found?" Harry's tone indicated he was focused on the action ahead of them.

Zaf spoke up. "Zigter has been staying here. Thermal imaging shows two people inside the flat, a man and a woman. CO19 is ready to go when we are."

Adam gave the commander the go ahead to enter the flat. Harry, Adam, and Zaf follow shortly after it's secure. They found a young couple seated on the sofa, neither of whom is Zigter.

"Who are you? Where's Gunther Zigter?" Harry demands of the couple, who are still on the sofa with their hands in the air.

"I'm Matthew St. James and this is my girlfriend, Emma Percy. I don't know anyone named Zigter."

Harry can see that the couple is terrified, but he's so focused on finding Zigter that he doesn't much care. "Why are you here? We were told that Gunther Zigter was staying here."

The young man spoke again, his eyes focused on the gun held by the CO19 officer standing only a meter away. "I was hired by a man named Hans Luther to flat sit for him while he's out of town. We've been staying here the past few days."

Adam nodded to the CO19 commander, who gave the order for his men to lower their weapons. Zaf approached the couple and told them he would need to bring them in to be interviewed, but he wasn't hopeful that they would get anything useful from them.

* * *

_Ruth is sat in the Briefing Room, reciting call signs for the various agents of Section D. A voice from the corner of the room tells her she is correct and Ruth turns, shocked to see her mother standing in the corner._

"_Mum! What are you doing here?" Ruth stood so quickly her chair rolled back and hit the wall with a bang._

"_Ruth, dear, I'm a spook. Don't you know by now that Section D likes to keep it in the family?" Elizabeth nods to indicate the two people who have just entered the room. _

_Ruth turns and gasps in shock at the sight of Catherine and Wes. Catherine smiles at her while Wes starts talking about how much fun he has working at Five. As he speaks, his voice deepens and changes and Ruth doesn't understand what is happening. _

Ruth opened her eyes and hears the same voice, but instead of from Wes it's from a man she's never seen before. Before she can speak he places his hand over her mouth.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thanks again for the reviews. Again, italics indicate a dream sequence.**

* * *

Harry walked quickly towards Ruth's room, anxious to see how she was doing. As he opened the door he heard Jo's raised voice.

"The instructions were quite clear. Ms Evershed was not to be left alone!"

"What happened? Where's Ruth?" At Harry's voice, both women turned to face him.

The nurse beat Jo to the punch. "As I was just telling Ms Portman, a patient in the next room was coding and they needed assistance. I was only out of the room for a few minutes and Ms Evershed was not conscious when I left the room. I'm sorry, but it couldn't be helped. When I came back in, she was gone, but this was lying on the bed." The nurse pointed to a flash drive in Jo's hand. "I've notified security and we are currently searching for her."

Before Harry or Jo could respond, the door to Ruth's room opened and a staff member walked in and stuck their head around the curtain. "You're looking for Ruth Evershed, yes? We think she's on the roof."

Hearing this, Harry and Jo quickly left the room and found the nearest stairwell. It was only two flights up to the roof from Ruth's room on the 10th floor. Once on the roof they spread out quietly, not wanting to startle her if she were near the edge. Harry spotted Ruth first, watching as she paced back and forth near the edge, looking west towards Thames House when she turned. Jo looped around the mechanical equipment in the center of the roof and slowly approached Ruth from the other side. Jo nodded at Harry, to let him know that she would follow his lead.

As they got closer to her they heard Ruth talking, though to whom they weren't certain. Neither could understand what she was saying, and if Harry had to guess, he would have said it was ancient Greek she was speaking.

It was during one of her turns that Ruth noticed Harry approaching her slowly. She stopped her pacing and turned back to face Thames House. Harry and Jo were close enough to see that she was only inches back from the short parapet that ran along the edge of the roof.

Harry put his hand up to stop Jo from moving any closer. "Ruth, are you okay? Jo and I were worried when we came to see you and you weren't in your room." Ruth continued to look across the river, and Harry tried to inch his way closer to her.

"Did you ever think that the reason we can't fly," Ruth said as she stepped up onto the parapet and raised her arms straight out to the side.

"Oh no," Harry said under his breath as he moved forward.

"Is because we are conditioned to believe that we can't fly?" As she finished speaking, Ruth lost her balance on the narrow parapet, her arms starting to flail wildly.

Thankfully Harry had moved close enough that he was able to reach up and put his arms around Ruth's waist and pull her backwards onto the safety of the roof. He stood there with Ruth still held tightly against him while he tried to catch his breath.

As though oblivious to what just happened, Ruth looked over at Jo and smiled. "Hi, Jo. Are you here to see me?"

As Harry released his hold on Ruth and shook his head in disbelief, Jo moved to stand next to her and linked her arm with Ruth's.

"Yes, Ruth, I am here to see you. Why don't we go back inside to continue this visit. It's a little too windy up here for me." Jo started walking with Ruth toward the stairwell door, with Harry following behind.

"Jo, I think we need to take her back to the Grid," Harry said as Jo nodded in agreement.

* * *

There wasn't an empty seat in the Briefing Room as Harry, Adam, and Zaf met with representatives from the Ministry of Defence. They were listening to an audio file that was on the flash drive left in Ruth's hospital room. The message was fairly simple; Zigter states that he won't stop until he has the plans for the Future Lynx Helicopter in his possession. He goes on to say that Harry will always be a step behind and that he wants Harry to be at the Thames Estuary in two hours to hand over the plans. Zigter concludes with a warning that if the antidote isn't administered within the next five hours, the effects will become permanent.

Harry was the first to speak. "Zaf, what did you find out from Dr Chapman?"

"Ruth doesn't remember anything from Zigter's visit. They are keeping her for observation in the medical rooms," Zaf responded.

Adam turned to Zaf. "Where are they on the antidote?' he asked.

"Dr Chapman has been liaising with the lab, which is still running tests. She didn't say as much, but I got the impression she's not confident that one will be developed soon." Zaf wished he had better news to share.

MOD representative Philip Walker took the opportunity to steer the conversation back to the pressing matter at hand. "I'm sure I speak for all of my colleagues when I say I'm sorry about Ms Evershed, but I cannot let anything jeopardize these plans. As an employee of Five, Ms Evershed was aware of the risks when she joined and signed a statement attesting to that fact."

"I realize that is technically true, but in this instance Ms Evershed was not participating in an op nor was she directly targeted." Harry knew that Walker was right, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to try and come up with way to save Ruth while protecting the plans.

It was Adam who suggested such a thing. "Is it possible for you to get some men to the estuary ASAP and conceal themselves on site? We can mock up plans on our end for the exchange, but this would allow your men to provide backup and to ensure that Zigter doesn't slip away. It may be our best opportunity to apprehend him."

Walker turned to the man seated next to him and raised his eyebrows in silent question.

Major Drake knew exactly what Walker was asking. "Yes, it's possible. We have a Special Forces unit stationed at Colchester that can get in there and you'll never see them unless they want to be seen. If we're going to use them, however, we need to give them the order now."

Zaf felt the need to ask the question. "I've not spent a lot of time at the Estuary but isn't it quite open? I don't recall many trees and shrubs to provide cover." He looked at Adam, who was nodding his head in agreement.

Major Drake just smiled. "Not to worry, son. Just let us do what we do best."

Once the details were decided and Harry gave the go ahead for the operation, Major Drake, Mr Walker, and the others filed out of the room, leaving Harry, Adam, and Zaf sat at the table.

"I hate to say it, but I'm not exactly thrilled with the idea of putting my – and Ruth's – life in the hands of some commandos." Harry's left hand was rubbing his forehead, trying to relieve some of the stress.

As Adam stood up, he commented, "Well, I haven't heard any better ideas."

Harry lowered his hand and looked up at Adam. "Yes, you're right. Let's move on this and make sure everything is covered." As he stood to leave the room, he heard a knock on the door. "Come!" his voice boomed.

The door opened and Dr Chapman stuck her head in the room. "Have any of you seen Ms Evershed?"

Harry looked at her in disbelief. "Congratulations, Sally. Good to know that your staff can't manage to keep track of one patient."

Sally gave Harry a pointed look. "Yes, well she has the most amazing talent for disappearing and the drugs in her system aren't exactly helping."

Before Harry could respond they all heard the shattering of glass, and by the sound of it, it was something big. The men followed Sally back to the main grid area where they saw Malcolm guiding Ruth to a chair, a golf club still in her hands.

Ruth looked up to see Harry approaching, a look of shock and confusion on his face. "I'm sorry about your office window, Harry. I was practicing my swing and I hit the ball a lot harder than I thought."

Harry finally found his voice. "Ruth, it's all right. We'll get the window fixed. Where did you find a golf club anyway?"

Before Ruth could respond, Dr Chapman pulled Harry aside. "Perhaps we should try to take her away from the Grid, somewhere that's familiar but not full of expensive equipment and large windows that don't mix well with golf clubs."

Harry nodded in agreement and after a moment's thought, called Jo over. "Jo, I want you to take Ruth to my house. She's been there a few times so it's familiar but it's also very close to Thames House. I'll have my driver take you there."

"Sure, Harry. Let me get my and Ruth's things and we'll leave whenever the car is ready."

As Harry called his driver, he could see that Adam and Zaf were in discussions at Adam's desk, likely finalizing arrangements for the meet this afternoon. Once his call finished, he walked over to Ruth, who was still sitting in the chair with Malcolm stood next to her. Harry crouched down so as to speak with Ruth at her eye level.

"Ruth, Jo is going to take you to my place. You can have something to eat and maybe take a nap. Jo will stay with you, so if you need anything, just let her know." Harry waited for a response before trying to stand up. Ruth looked at him and nodded. Jo handed Ruth her jacket and her handbag and a moment later they turned to leave the Grid.

Malcolm and Harry watched them walk through the pods and disappear from sight. As Harry turned to walk into his office, Malcolm commented, "You have to admire her ability to hit a chip shot with a putter."

* * *

The car pulled up to the kerb outside Harry's home and Jo opened the door and helped Ruth step out of the car. The keys to the house were in Jo's right hand while her left hand gently held on to Ruth's elbow, guiding her to the front door. Scarlett heard the key in the door and came running, her nails clacking on the wood floor. She excitedly jumped at the visitors while Jo reset the security alarm and Ruth took off her coat. Jo bent down to greet the terrier while Ruth moved forward and entered the lounge. Seconds later, Jo stepped around her and walked into the kitchen.

"Can I get you anything? I want you to feel comfortable here and rest," Jo asked.

Ruth looked around the room. "Candles. We need to light some candles." She crossed to a bookcase that displayed several small pillar candles and moved them to the coffee table.

Jo hadn't worked in Section D for long, but she'd already heard the whispers about Harry and Ruth. So far she hadn't seen anything to confirm a relationship beyond boss and employee, though Ruth was certainly the only person who never knocked on Harry's door and still lived to talk about it. "Have you been here before when Harry has lit candles?"

"All the time," Ruth breezed as she continued searching for more candles.

Jo decided it was best not to ask any further questions and turned back into the kitchen to make tea. Ruth settled onto the sofa and leaned back into the welcoming cushions. Several minutes later Jo walked in with two cups of tea, setting one cup down on the table in front of Ruth, who picked up the cup and took a few sips. As Jo lit the candles that Ruth had gathered, Ruth yawned, the comfortableness of the sofa encouraging her body to relax.

"Why don't you try and take a nap? You've had a busy day today." Jo hoped that Ruth would sleep and thus stay out of trouble.

"I'm not tired. Thank you for the tea, it was lovely." After she set the cup down and leaned back into the sofa, Ruth's eyes slid shut and she fell sideways onto a pillow.

_Ruth isn't certain how she got here, but Harry's house is bathed in candle light and she is wearing a beautiful burgundy beaded gown. She looked up to see Harry approaching with a bottle of champagne, dressed in a white tuxedo. She smiled at him and he returned the gesture as he filled her glass._

"_Harry, I can't leave you."_

"_You've got to. Where you're going, I can't come. You've got a job to do. I can only get in the way."_

"_But what about tonight? The way we feel about each other?" Ruth placed her free hand on Harry's chest, moving up slowly until it rested over his heart._

"_Look, our feelings don't add up to a pile of pastry in this crazy, mixed-up world." Harry reached for her waist and pulled her closer. "If I went with you, you might not regret it today, next week, or next year, but one day you'll look at yourself in the mirror and you'll say, 'I should have asked my mother.' Ruth, I hope you won't forget what we've shared. I know that I'll never forget you."_

_Ruth is touched by his words. "I could never forget you, Harry."_

"_We'll always have the Embankment. Here's looking at you, kid." Ruth leaned in for a romantic kiss as the forgotten glass of champagne in her hand tipped, pouring out its contents._

Jo closed the book on her lap and looked over at Ruth, who was still sleeping on the sofa. Deciding that Ruth would likely be hungry when she awoke, Jo stood up and moved to blow out the candles. She was startled when Ruth sat up quickly.

"Oh, boy," Ruth said as fingers went to her lips, a small smile disguised behind her fingers.

Jo walked towards the kitchen. "That must have been an interesting dream," she called. "Who's Rick?"

Ruth's smile turned into a frown. "Rick? I have no idea."

* * *

Harry stood alone near the banks of the Thames Estuary. Off in the distance he could see a tower of some sort, though he knew the MOD hadn't used these sites in years. He looked around again and it appeared he was on his own.

"This is Alpha One, nothing. No sign of Delta team either." Harry continued to casually scan the area.

"Roger that, Alpha One." Adam and Colin were sat in the tower Harry saw earlier. Adam wished that he was closer to Harry's location, but he knew that Delta team was on-site, so Harry wasn't alone. He and Colin continued to scan the area, looking for anyone approaching who could be their man. They didn't have to wait long, as Colin spotted a person picking his way through the tall grass toward Harry's location.

Adam passed on the information. "Alpha One, be advised, subject approaching from the west on foot. Appears to be male." He saw Harry turn to watch to watch the person approach. "Alpha One, do you recognize the subject? Is it Zigter?"

Harry looked at the approaching figure through his binoculars. He couldn't put his finger on it, but something about the man was familiar. Harry looked again and finally recognized him. "Sully!"

Thomas Sullivan stopped at the call of his name and panicked, quickly turning around to go the other direction. The Delta Team heard the exchange on the comms units and started popping up from their hiding places, causing Sully to dart around like a mouse trying to get through a maze. He finally stopped when faced with a Delta team member holding an automatic weapon at point blank range. His arms raised, Sully turned to face Harry, who was quickly walking towards him.

"Sully! What are you doing here?" Harry's tone of voice let Sully know just how unhappy he was with his presence.

"I got an anonymous tip that a deal might be going down. I had no idea you would be involved, Harry, honestly." Sully at least tried to look contrite.

"So you thought it was a good idea to come wandering around an open field with no idea what might be happening? You're not as bright as I thought you were, Sully, and that's saying quite a lot."

As Harry dealt with Sully and Delta team, Zigter watched the scene through binoculars from the south side of the river, where he used the tall grass as cover. "And now, Harry, I have to raise the stakes." Keeping low, he turned and slowly left the site.

* * *

Although Ruth had quickly fallen back to sleep, Jo decided to go ahead and make sandwiches. She was surprised at how well stocked Harry's kitchen was. She presumed that between being Section Head and a bachelor that what few meals he ate at home were picked up along the way from his favorite fish and chip shop. Jo walked back into the lounge to pick up the tea cups and noticed that Ruth was rubbing her forehead, but hadn't yet opened her eyes. When she returned to the kitchen and started the sandwiches, Jo began talking to herself.

"My old flat mate gave me such grief about not being able to cook, but I know that I can make sandwiches. It's all in how you layer the ingredients," she said.

Ruth opened her eyes at the sound of Jo's voice. She sat up on the sofa, looking over the back to see what Jo was doing. She gasped when she saw Jo walking towards her holding a large chef's knife threateningly in her hand. Ruth quickly stood up and started moving away from the sofa as Jo drew closer, still holding the knife.

Jo was becoming concerned at Ruth's actions. Ruth seemed to be frightened about something and Jo chalked it up to the drug in her system. Jo still had the butter knife she was using to spread the mayonnaise in her hand, so sheturned back to the kitchen to set it down.

Ruth saw this as her opportunity to escape from the woman who was trying to kill her. She picked up a candle holder, setting the pillar candle aside, and snuck up behind the woman with the knife. She hit her on the back of the head, dropped the candle holder, and fled out the front door.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: There's a Spooks story on FFN that includes the name Misfit for Ruth's other cat. I think it's a fabulous name, but unfortunately I can't remember the story name or author. If it was you, or you know which story it was, let me know and I'll give credit where credit is due. In the meantime, I hope you don't mind that I've borrowed it for this story.**

**A/N Addendum: I found it! Misfit the cat is from 'Not Close Enough' by Camillo. **

* * *

As Harry approached his front door, he wondered how Jo was getting on with Ruth. At Jo's last check-in Ruth was sleeping, which Harry had been glad to hear. He put the key in the lock but quickly realized that the lock wasn't engaged. Failing to quell the panic rising in his chest, he pushed the door open and rushed into his house. As he rounded the corner into the lounge, he saw Jo lying on the floor, starting to stir. He moved to her side and helped her sit up.

"Are you all right? What happened? Where's Ruth?" Harry couldn't stop the barrage of questions that tumbled from his mouth.

Jo moved her hand to the back of her head. "Ow, that's going to hurt for a bit. As for what happened, Ruth happened."

"I don't understand. Ruth did this to you? Why would she do that?" Harry didn't quite succeed in keeping the disbelief out of his voice.

"Yes, Harry, Ruth hit me, probably with that candle holder there. Who knows what she thought with those drugs in her system." Jo decided that she'd been on the floor long enough and made to stand up. Harry stood up as well and helped Jo over to the sofa where they both sat.

Harry motioned for Jo to turn around. "Let me check your head." Jo turned away from him and bent her head forward, allowing Harry to get a good look at her injury. "Well, there's no blood, but you're right, that's going to hurt for a while." He stood up. "You stay there. I need to call this in and then you can tell me what happened."

While Harry placed his phone call to the Grid, he set about to make tea. Seeing the sandwich fixings scattered on the counter, he asked "I take it you were making sandwiches?"

"Yes, one minute I'm making cold cuts and the next I'm out cold."

While he waited for the kettle to boil, Harry packed up the food and put it all away. He made Jo a cup of tea and set it in front of her on the table.

She smiled up at him. "Thanks."

"Jo, I'm sorry but I have to ask. Are you sure that it was Ruth that did this?"

"I understand and yes, I'm sure it was Ruth. She woke up after sleeping on the sofa and something startled her. She got up quickly and was moving away from the sofa while I moved closer to her, trying to calm her down. I had a butter knife in my hand so I turned back to the kitchen to set it down and that's when she knocked me out." Jo's hand went to the back of her head as a reminder.

"Right. Did you enable the security system when you arrived? I only ask because it was disabled when I arrived," Harry asked.

"Ruth must have seen me enter the code to arm the system when we arrived. I guess even with her system full of hallucinogenic drugs she's still observant." Jo smiled weakly at her joke.

"I've called Adam and asked him to issue a BOLO for Ruth and we should get back to the Grid as well. Any ideas where she could have gone? Did she say anything about wanting to go somewhere? In her condition she's vulnerable and in danger." Harry moved towards the door.

"In her condition society could be in danger," Jo said under her breath as she got up to follow him.

* * *

Ruth unlocked the front door to her house, barely taking the time to shut the door fully. The cats looked up at her entrance; Fidget from the back of the sofa and Misfit from a nearby bookcase. Ruth disappeared upstairs and reappeared a few minutes later with a travel hair dryer in hand. Fidget and Misfit swiveled their heads to watch as Ruth moved around the house.

"Why isn't this thing loaded?" she muttered to herself as she dug around for batteries in a kitchen drawer. After the batteries were inserted Ruth picked up her green phone and dialed. She leant against the wall and when a voice answered, she gave them the code for Harry's office.

"Hello?" Harry answered his phone on the first ring.

"Pearce, Evershed calling." Ruth didn't want to waste time with chit chat.

Before he responded, Harry put the call on speaker for the benefit of Adam, who was also in the room. "Ruth, where are you? Let me come and get you."

"No time for that, Pearce. We need to nail this Zigter bastard and do it now. Send a car to my house." Ruth's voice had taken on a tone that Harry had never heard.

"Is that Ruth or John Wayne?" Adam whispered.

"Ruth, I'm sending a car to pick you up. We'll see you soon." Harry disconnected the call. "Ruth seems to think she's taken over this operation. I'm going to pick her up myself. We can't have her out on the streets."

* * *

Ruth was watching the street in front of her house when a car pulled up. She left the house and walked to the car as the driver started to get out. "That Pearce is really efficient. Thanks for picking me up." Ruth opened the door and sat in the passenger seat.

Gunther Zigter was surprised at her actions but decided to play along.

"I'm Ruth Evershed. Nice to meet you. Have we met before? You seem familiar."

"I'm Nigel Langham and no, I don't believe we've met." Zigter pulled away from the kerb, trying to decide where he was going to take Ms Evershed now that she was in his car.

Harry decided to pick Ruth up himself because he wasn't sure how she would respond to anyone, even himself, but he felt it was his responsibility to see her safe. He was just a few blocks from her home when he passed a car going the opposite direction, and he was certain the driver was Zigter, with Ruth as his passenger. At the next intersection, he quickly turned around to follow the car. He grabbed his mobile from his jacket pocket and hit speed dial.

"Adam, I'm following Zigter who has Ruth with him. Have Malcolm track my movements and then you and Zaf join me, wherever I may be going."

Having decided on a destination, Zigter was surprised when Ruth quickly sat forward in her seat and pointed at a vehicle passing them on the street.

"That's Harry's car!" she exclaimed. She looked over her right shoulder and saw Harry turn around and begin to follow them. She looked over at Zigter, "He turned around. Is he joining us?"

"Um, yes. Harry will be joining us on this operation." Zigter pressed on the accelerator in an attempt to outrun Harry.

Zigter raced as fast as he dared through the streets, but Harry was still within sight. Moments later, Zigter pulled into an alley and parked outside a large building. He and Ruth exited the car and climbed an exterior stairway to a door into the building, which Zigter opened. "Ruth, if you could secure the building, I'll wait for Harry."

Ruth nodded her assent. "Good idea, Nigel. I'll see you inside." Ruth pulled the hair dryer from inside her jacket and held it like a gun in front of her as she entered the building.

Zigter wondered what she was doing with the dryer, but rationalized that before long it wouldn't matter. Once the door closed, he moved behind several large crates on the landing to wait for Harry to arrive.

After momentarily losing sight of Zigter's car, Harry spotted it parked midway down an alley. As he pulled in behind it, two shots were fired in his direction. He quickly ducked, then opened the door and rolled out. He risked a quick look at the building, but didn't see anyone. He quickly called Adam.

"Adam, I'm at the location now and shots have been fired. Call CO19 and get them here, now!"

Harry risked another look from around the front of his vehicle and once again didn't see anyone. Harry quickly made his way to the bottom of the staircase. Before climbing, he grabbed an empty plastic bottle that was lying on the ground at his feet. Once up the stairs and at the door, he quietly tried the door and found it unlocked. He opened it a bit wider then tossed the bottle several feet inside the door. There was no reaction at the sound, so he entered. He thought he saw movement to his left, so he quickly moved to his right, which allowed the door to slam behind him. Harry winced at the sound, but kept moving.

As he walked around, he realized the building was an old theatre that was having restoration work done. Harry turned the corner and found himself at the back of the audience with no sign of Ruth or Zigter.

Meanwhile, Zigter stood backstage near the curtain, watching Harry through a narrow gap. He was shielded from view by darkness, and out of the corner of his eye he saw movement to his left. He turned his head to see Ruth wandering around backstage in an area well lit by stage lights from above.

"Zigter! Let Ruth go! You know she has no part in our quarrel."

Zigter turned back to where Harry was, but could no longer see him. "Why should I?" he responded. "You know better than anyone I like to keep my options open!"

Ruth turned toward the voice, seeing Zigter as he moved quickly towards her. "You… you're not from Five." She finally remembered where she'd seen him before. "You were in my hospital room."

"Well done, Ms Evershed. Now cooperate with me and maybe you won't need to go back to hospital," he said as he turned her around and marched her away.

Harry was hiding behind a short wall on the far side of the seats when Zigter responded to him. He still couldn't see him, but he could hear his and Ruth's muffled voices backstage. Harry quickly made his way onto the stage. He knew that his position was exposed, so he quickly found a break in the curtains and moved backstage.

"Harry, I so enjoy working with you. I make a great deal of money and make you look bad in the process. Victory all around for me." Zigter's voice floated from somewhere backstage.

As Harry looked around for the voice, a noise and movement from above made him jump out of the way. Seconds later, a large canvas sack crashed to floor close to where he'd been standing. He was distracted by the crash of the first bag that he almost didn't see the second one, swinging straight towards him. Harry was struck in the abdomen by the bag and knocked off his feet. The force of impact caused the bag to break open and covered him with a white powder from head to toe. Between the hit and powder in the air, Harry coughed and tried to catch his breath. He stumbled backwards as he struggled to his feet while Ruth walked in with Zigter a few steps behind and a gun pointed at her back. He told her to stop when she was about three metres from Harry and Zigter continued until he stood to the right of her.

"Quite the pair you two are, an unarmed Section Head and his drugged out analyst," Zigter said while Ruth looked at him in confusion. Zigter pulled a vial out of his pocket and Ruth grabbed for it, her actions sluggish from the drugs. "I'm tired of this game," he said and pushed her forward.

Ruth landed on her stomach in the pile of powder. Harry started to move towards her but was stopped by Zigter, who moved to stand between Ruth and Harry.

"Oh, no, Harry. You wanted her out of this, she's out. Just you and me now," Zigter said with his gun pointed directly at Harry.

Harry could see over Zigter's shoulder that Ruth had gotten to her feet. She looked much like he did, covered in the white powder. She picked up the hair dryer from where it had fallen to the floor and had it aimed at Zigter as though it were a gun. Beyond Ruth, Harry saw movement and realized that Adam and Zaf had arrived with CO19. Knowing that he now had back-up in the building, Harry's goal was to not get shot at point blank range by Zigter.

"Freeze!"

Harry's attention was brought back to the situation at hand by Ruth's voice.

Zigter didn't even look back at Ruth. "I'm bored with you," he said, not taking his eyes off Harry.

"You're dog meat," Ruth said in a serious voice.

Zigter turned around, deciding to deal with this annoyance once and for all. When he did, Ruth turned on the hair dryer, which had filled with powder when Zigter pushed her to the floor. He was caught off guard by the thick cloud of powder in his face.

Harry stepped forward and grabbed the disoriented Zigter, spinning him around and punching him in the jaw. Zigter fell to the ground and made no effort to get back up.

Ruth positioned herself to be standing above Zigter, the hair dryer pointing down at him. Harry took a few steps and stood next to her. "You won't be needing that anymore," he said, motioning to her 'gun.'

Ruth nodded her acknowledgement and tossed him the dryer. "Good work, Pearce. The DG will be pleased." She then turned and headed to the exit.

"Yes, ma'am," Harry replied. As Ruth walked away she passed Adam and Zaf. They took in her appearance and Harry's.

"I'm not even going to ask what happened," Adam said as Zaf failed to conceal a growing grin.

"Wise choice, Mr. Carter," Harry replied.

* * *

The pods opened before them and Harry and Ruth stepped onto the Grid. Harry nodded towards the Briefing Room where everyone was waiting. Ruth greeted everyone as she entered and sat in her usual seat. Harry followed and took his seat at the head of the table.

"Thank you everyone for sticking around. As you all know by now, the antidote worked." Harry barely contained the smile of relief he felt.

"How are you feeling, Ruth?" asked Adam. He saw some of her bizarre behavior at the theatre and was glad the effects weren't permanent.

"I feel fine but I'm a little confused," she replied.

"Do you remember anything from today?" Jo asked as she rubbed the back of her head.

Ruth glanced downward before responding. "I don't remember anything after I ate Harry's croissant," she said as she looked at her co-workers and took in their facial expressions. "You're all looking at me strangely, though. I hope I didn't do anything embarrassing." She turned to look at Harry, just missing the look of amusement on his face.

"Of course you didn't. Nothing strange happened," he added, hoping she would believe him.

Adam shared a few final assignments regarding the day's activities before everyone stood and started to file out of the room. Jo, Harry, Adam and Ruth remained.

Jo handed Ruth her handbag. "I'm so glad you're all right, Ruth. Here, you left this at Harry's house," she said before turning to leave the room.

Ruth's brow furrowed in confusion. "Why was I at Harry's house?" she asked, but Jo had stepped away and was talking to Harry quietly by the door.

Adam turned to Ruth with a smile. "We are glad to have _you_ back, Ruth, really. I have to admit that this case was one of the more… entertaining cases I've worked on."

Before she could react, Adam leaned down and kissed her on the cheek before moving over to Jo and walking out of the room with her. Ruth was still rooted in her spot when Harry stepped in front of her.

"Harry, why do I have the feeling that there's something you're not telling me?" Ruth searched his face for a clue but not surprisingly, his face remained neutral.

"Ruth, it's been a long day for both of us. You're fine, Zigter is in custody, and the plans are safe. Can we just call it a good day and leave it at that?" Harry didn't really think this tactic would work, but he thought it best to try anyway. The idea of recounting to Ruth her antics from the day could be entertaining, but only if he knew she would be able to laugh at herself and not be mortified with embarrassment.

Ruth knew she must have done something for everyone to react the way they had. She mentally debated whether knowing what she'd done was better or worse than not knowing. "Harry, obviously I did something that you all found entertaining. And the only thing worse than being talked about is being talked about when I don't even know what it is that I've done. So no, I can't just leave it at that."

Harry had known she would want to know the full story but he decided that perhaps it would be best to tell her in a less formal atmosphere. In other words, tell her in public where she would be less likely to cause him bodily harm.

"Harry, I'll be able to read everyone's reports in a few days. I'd rather hear it from you." She bit her lip, hoping that she didn't sound too forward or demanding.

Acknowledging that he would have to tell her sooner rather than later, he nodded in agreement. "Okay, I'll tell you everything that happened, but over dinner. You must be hungry. Let's head over to The George, yes?" He hoped the offer of food would win her over.

Ruth nodded her assent as her stomach growled. She and Harry both smiled. "Yes, dinner would be lovely."

As they walked out of the Briefing Room, Ruth stopped and turned to Harry. "Harry, I know you are going to be completely honest with me about everything that I did today even though there's a part of me that would rather not know, but I hope in the future you won't be offended if I don't eat any food you offer me." She looked at him with a tentative smile, hoping that her voice was as light as it sounded in her head.

Harry's face broke into a wide smile and a muttley laugh escaped his lips. "Oh, Ruth, let's go have dinner."

* * *

**A/N: That's all folks. Thank you for all the reviews and if you could find the time for one last review, it would be appreciated. They have been wonderful to read and made me smile. Kudos to TheChicaChic for the wonderful idea for an alternate ending of having Harry eat the rest of the croissant and being loony with Ruth if her effects became permanent. Imagine the crazy things they could do! I'll be sure to add that to my list of 'maybe, someday' story ideas. **


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